How To Take Care of Yourself in 2020

Did
2019 wipe you out? No fear, the holidays are always a busy time of year, and
before you know it, it’s the new year and you feel like you’re still catching
up. The best part of a new year, however, is hitting the reset button.

What’s
even better is this is also a new decade, so the opportunity for you to reset
is that much greater. There’s no better time to slow down, think, and practice
some self-love. By nature, we want to help others, and often that means
overlooking our own basic needs. Small things can pile up, however, so make
this the year of taking care of yourself and setting yourself up to enjoy
everything there is out there…

Work on Work-Life Balance

Sometimes
it feels impossible to escape from work. Maybe you work at home, or have your
work email on your phone; it can get stressful. Focusing too much on work,
though, can wreak havoc on your personal life by causing undue anxiety, and
even lead to complications like stress-related hair loss,
breakdowns in relationships, and lack of sleep.

As
we all look to succeed and be the best in whatever endeavors we choose, it’s
important to keep some work-life balance tips at the top
of our minds for when things get too crazy. Something as simple as “unplugging”
and getting away from technology for a while can help you refocus and enjoy the
moment you’re in.

Aside
from the enjoyment of relaxing and appreciating the moment you’re in, this will
also help you avoid burnout when returning to
work and getting more done.

Explore Ways to Exercise

Take
the start of this new year to get into a healthy routine. Prioritize eating
healthy and hitting the gym a few times a week if possible. If you find
yourself tempted to “cheat” on your healthy diet over the weekend, try carving
out time mid-week to prep some healthy snacks for Saturday and Sunday.

If your schedule doesn’t allow you to visit the gym, or that’s just not your speed, simple exercises like stretching can go a long way. Try a gentle stretching routine, or a more structured yoga practice to start or end your day and help you recenter.

Practice Self-Care

The holidays are well behind us, and we can now slow down our spending and checking off our never-ending lists. After so much time spent thinking of others, it’s good to take time for yourself and relax. Whether it’s taking a break at work and going to get a cup of coffee to enjoy the fresh air, or saying no to going out and instead having a night in, whichever way you decide to relax is up to you.

Self-care
is like when you were young and stuck on a question in school: your teacher may
have told you to skip it and come back. Taking a little break can do wonders
for your mental health and help you refocus on what’s actually important in
your life.

Be Your Best Self

Whatever
it may be that you want to do, have this be the year you do it. Part of
self-care is focusing on yourself and fulfilling your wants and desires. If
you’ve been wanting to take a big trip somewhere, do it– be it to a new country
or just a quick getaway for a quiet weekend. Start planning and making time for
something major that will bring you joy. Constantly pushing yourself to try new
things, find new adventures and check things off your bucket list can help you
start the new year with a sense of excitement and fulfillment.

Practice Self-Compassion

Similar
to self-care, self-compassion means you are your own rock and you tackle your
problems head-on. Rather than getting too high on your own supply, or
adversely, letting one thing affect you for days, try to find that middle
ground.

When
you practice self-compassion, you’re understanding your own shortcomings and
areas where you could improve. Try not being as judgemental about yourself and
understand that the changes you’re making come with time.

Keep Growing

If
you want to learn a new skill, begin researching how you can learn it. Many
times people are convinced that they’re stuck where they are simply because of
the excuse of “I’m too old” to try something new, or change careers, or just be
happy. Understand that regardless of where you are, there’s always time to
pursue your passions and learn more about what makes you happy.

Start
by shifting the way you think, and actions will follow. Some people call this
the growth mindset, which, at its core,
means intelligence can be developed. Those who have this mindset see challenges
and embrace them as learning experiences, work through roadblocks, and
understand that effort is the key to achieving their goals.

Adopting
this mindset won’t happen overnight, however. Try starting with small tasks,
like when your alarm clock goes off early. Rather than hitting the snooze
button five times, wake up and start your day with a run, or use it as a
jumpstart to prep for a meeting.

Whichever
ways you decide to practice self-care and put yourself first, remember that the
year is long, and the decade even longer! So don’t get hung up on not following
your New Year’s resolution to the tiniest detail, it’s all about winning the
small battles.

By
practicing self-care and focusing on what makes you happy, you’ll be setting
yourself up for an awesome new year!

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Sylviane Nuccio is a professional Writer/Content Strategist and a Success Coach. She is a regular contributor to Huffington Post, International Living and Chamber of Commerce. She helps new entrepreneurs to become financially free.